In The End || PETEWAY

Chapter 2

Way woke up the next morning with a pounding headache, his mind foggy and his surroundings unfamiliar. Panic surged through him as he sat up, his heart racing with the fear of the unknown. For a fleeting moment, the thought of being kidnapped crossed his mind, but as he looked around the room, the panic began to subside.

Taking in his surroundings, he realized he was in a tidy, albeit unfamiliar, bedroom. The soft morning light filtering through the curtains lent a sense of calm to the room, contrasting with the turmoil in Way's mind.

As he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, he noticed a figure sleeping peacefully on the couch in the adjoining room. Recognition dawned slowly as the events of the previous night came rushing back to him. The stranger who had intervened at the bar, the offer of help, and the blurry journey to this unknown place all flooded back into his consciousness.

Feeling a mix of gratitude and confusion, Way approached the sleeping figure cautiously, not wanting to startle them awake. He studied the peaceful expression on their face, noting the slight rise and fall of their chest with each breath.

Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Way tried to piece together the events of the previous night. Despite his initial reluctance, he couldn't deny the kindness the stranger had shown him. With a sense of curiosity mingled with trepidation, he wondered what would happen next. Would the stranger be angry with him for his drunken behavior? Or would they offer him further assistance?

Lost in his thoughts, Way stood by the couch, unsure of what to do next. As the figure began to stir, Way's heart skipped a beat, unsure of what their reaction would be upon waking up to find him there.

But before he could make a decision, Pete stirred, blinking sleepily as he sat up on the couch. Their eyes met, and Way felt a rush of emotions flood through him - gratitude, confusion, and a strange sense of connection.

"Morning," Pete said, his voice rough with sleep as he rubbed his eyes.

Way cleared his throat, suddenly feeling self-conscious under Pete's gaze. "Morning," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

There was a moment of awkward silence as they both processed the events of the previous night. Then, Pete stood up, stretching his arms above his head with a yawn.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, his concern evident in his eyes.

Way nodded, offering a weak smile. "Yeah, I think so. Thanks for... you know, helping me last night."

Pete waved off his gratitude, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "No problem."

As Way started to gather his belongings, he couldn't shake the feeling of awkwardness and embarrassment that hung between them. But as he slipped on his shoes and retrieved his phone, he focused on the practicalities of the situation, eager to escape the uncomfortable silence that lingered in the air.

"Are you sure you won't have anything before you leave?" Pete's voice broke through Way's thoughts, his tone gentle but tinged with a hint of uncertainty.

Way hesitated for a moment, "No, thanks. I need to get to work," he replied quickly, avoiding Pete's gaze as he busied himself with tying his shoelaces.

Pete nodded understandingly, though Way could sense a hint of disappointment in his demeanor. As Way made his way towards the door, Pete watched him silently, his arms crossed above his chest.

"Thank you again," Way said, his voice soft as he paused in the doorway. "For everything."

Pete managed a small smile, though there was a flicker of sadness in his eyes. "Of course," he replied, his tone slightly subdued.

Before Way could step out, Pete stopped him, reaching for a sticky note on the nearby table. "Here," he said, holding it out to Way. "You can call me next time you need someone to drink with."

"Uh, okay," he mumbled, tucking the note into his pocket before hastily making his exit.

Walking a few steps away from the house, Way couldn't help but feel a weight settle in his chest. He let out a heavy sigh and crouched down, burying his head in his hands. Self-directed curses escaped his lips as he berated himself for his irresponsible behavior.

"Why do I always end up like this?" Way muttered to himself, frustration lacing his words. "Can't I ever just handle things like a normal person?"

After a moment of inner turmoil, Way retrieved the note with the guy's number and stared at it for a while. With a shrug of his shoulders, he tucked it back into his pocket.

"Maybe I should just forget about this whole thing," Way thought aloud, uncertainty creeping into his voice. "It's not like anything good can come out of it anyway."

Rising to his feet, he forced himself to walk away, trying to maintain a facade of normalcy despite the curious glances from passersby. Deep down, though, Way couldn't shake the nagging feeling that maybe, just maybe, this unexpected encounter held the potential for something more. But for now, he pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward.